Joshua Bell is one of the world’s outstanding violinists. As a child prodigy, at age 4 he began to study violin, debuting with the Philadelphia Orchestra when he was only 14. In 1985 he made his Carnegie Hall debut with the St. Louis Symphony. He has continued to expand his worldwide career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra conductor, with a busy schedule that includes performances, recording, and film work. He also devotes time to sharing his love of classical music with disadvantaged youth, and was honored for his efforts in 2009 by Education Through Music.
One of Joshua Bell’s most unusual performances came in a busy Washington D.C. subway station, where he participated in a social experiment. He played for 45 minutes during morning rush hour, as commuters hurried by. Only a 3-yr.-old seemed eager to listen. What a sad commentary! The busy crowd failed to pause long enough to listen even briefly to one of the world’s greatest violinists. A few tossed a little money in the hat, but most rushed by without a glance.
http://musicmotionblog.com/2009/12/joshua-bell-dec-9/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html